Excess All Areas 1977 - 1982 - Roger Taylor Q&A

The second batch of re-masters has been given the tag line of 'Excess All Areas'...a fair title for this period of the band?

Yes.

'Deep Cuts Vol.2': You mentioned previously that you thought Vol.1 did not go deep enough, do you feel you have achieved that with this second compilation?

Volume 2 was easier to compile.

'News Of The World' - recorded at Wessex. The infamous meeting with the Sex Pistols took place and recording the stomps of ‘We Will Rock You’ in the broom cupboard. Any elaborations?

The stomps and claps were recorded on the drum riser in the studio. We sat on the piano.

Your first album with two songs on it, how did that happen?

Just turned out that way.

'Jazz' - recorded at Super Bear, Nice, and what was to become the band's very own studio, Mountain, Montreux. Why these studios in particular, and did you initially think of Mountain "Yeah, I wouldn't mind owning this"?

It just happened to be for sale, this suited our needs.

The sound on the 'Jazz' album has always been a topic of conversation, was it intentionally heavily equalised or was that a post - production thing?

Roy Baker produced this album with us. Not my favourite production at all. Over e.q’d and very patchy.

'The Game' - Recorded at Musicland in two blocks of sessions. Lots of new things happening on this album, how did you feel about revoking the "No Synths" banner you'd carried for so long?

I felt fine about it at the time. A new toy – probably overused, but a great sounding album.

Like 'News of The World', 'The Game' had two of your songs on the album, and Freddie sang one of them. How did you decide what you'd sing and what Freddie would do?

It was who suited the track – simple.

'Flash' - Recorded back in London. What did you think when you first discussed doing a "score"?

Wasn’t sure. It was the first heavy rock film score though.

Was the soundtrack really all played along to rushes of the movie?

Most of it, yes.

'Hot Space' - Recorded mainly at Musicland, with bits at Mountain. What bits were recorded at Montreux, just 'Under Pressure', or anything else?

Can’t honestly remember.

'Hot Space' has opinions from both ends of the spectrum. Some people think it's a masterpiece, and others think the opposite. Do you feel it was a good album at the wrong time, or that retrospectively you should have stayed a little more within the genres you were successful in?

Hate the cover. Album was ambitious – went too dancey for me.

What is your favourite album of the five released between 1977-1982?

'News Of The World' and 'The Game'.

More bonus tracks once again, is it enjoyable listening to the rare material, 'Feelings Feelings' for instance?

Only at times.

1977-1982: During this era, Queen played to bigger and bigger audiences culminating in the massive South American tour in the early 80’s. How did the band adjust to that?

The bigger, the better.

Were you more nervous playing to audiences in the mega thousands than those numbering circa ten thousand?

Not really. Smaller audiences can be more nerve racking.

Any particular memories of the Queen Lizzy tour of 1977?

It was almost all ‘a blast’. Loved Phil Lynott.

Were any of the songs on 'Fun In Space' originally intended for the band? Or where they written purely for the solo project?

Purely for the solo project.

During this time frame, you did your first solo single 'I Wanna Testify', and your first album 'Fun In Space', have you any stories from these sessions, about the creative process and your ideas?

I was on a voyage of self-discovery.

Many fans still think 'Future Management' is amongst your finest songs. Do you still like the track?